The "Princess Kate effect" continues to wield its powerful influence on the fashion industry, as demonstrated by the near sell-out of her latest public ensemble.
The Princess of Wales appeared at an engagement on Thursday wearing a "Simple coat dress navy" from British designer Suzannah London, priced at £1,850.
In just 24 hours, the elegant piece had virtually disappeared from the brand's website, once again proving the royal's ability to drive consumer fashion choices.
The designer's website now shows the coat dress has sold out in almost all sizes. At the time of writing, just a single dress in size 18 remains available for immediate order.
Fresh proof of ‘Princess Kate effect’ as designer scores major win
Reuters / Suzannah London
Customers hoping to purchase the garment in sizes six through 16 can only place pre-orders.
This rapid depletion of stock demonstrates the immediate commercial impact that follows when the Princess wears a particular item.
The fashion influence of the Princess of Wales has been a significant factor in the clothing industry since her relationship with Prince William became public in 2002.
This phenomenon, dubbed the "Kate Middleton effect," describes how garments quickly sell out after she is seen wearing them.
Kate's Suzannah London dress has sold out in most sizes.
Suzannah London
The Princess is also recognised for championing sustainable fashion by frequently re-wearing outfits at public events.
Her economic influence, nicknamed the "Kate effect," is estimated to provide a £1billion annual boost to the UK fashion industry.
Designer Jennifer Chamandi told Harper's Bazaar that the impact of Kate wearing her elegant heels was immediate. "The increase in brand awareness and enquiries was immediate, not just in the UK but especially in the US," she said.
Chamandi described how the "Kate effect" created instant commercial opportunities. "We had messages from stockists globally, wanting to know how quickly we could deliver a shipment of the style Kate wore," she recalled.
Princess Kate and Prince William pictured in Glasgow.Reuters"Being a British brand, having a member of the Royal Family wear my shoes was a dream come true. After another intense lockdown, it felt like a ray of optimism."
Shoe designer Camilla Elphick similarly experienced the royal fashion phenomenon when Kate wore her Alicia pumps to a charity polo match in 2022.
"It was a normal day in the office, and suddenly I got a flurry of calls from my mum and friends," she explained. "I had no idea [Kate] was going to wear them. The phones didn't stop ringing all day."
The impact was particularly strong internationally. "We've got a live chat on our website, and it just went off the scale, especially in America.
Princess Kate wore a nautical-inspired dress from Suzannah London.
Reuters"At the time, the style was our most popular anyway, but when people saw Kate wearing it, it completely sold out."
The Princess's influence extends beyond single appearances. When Kate wore Elphick's shoes again at the Commonwealth Games months later, it cemented their status as a must-have item.
"It's now become an iconic style for us," said Elphick. "I think the fact that Kate wore them on two different occasions, once with a dress and once with trousers, showed people how useful they are."
The global appeal is remarkable. "We make them in a whole range now, and we have a customer in Dubai who has every single colour we've ever made."
